April 09, 1987 - This Weather Is For the Birds�T AR Sr} P
The Suffolk Times /April 9, 1987 /Page 9A
� Is For the Birds
By PAUL STOUTENBURGH.
By now I think most of us would
agree we've had our fill of storms.
Some say in the past two weekends
we've had over six inches of rain and
winds 50 to 60 miles per hour. Last
week I traveled to the south side
Focus on
Nature
where I experienced the full fury of
that storm on the ocean beach. Hav-
ing spent six summers as a ranger- -
naturalist at the Fire Island Na-
- - -u urau,u,g rains iouna me east of OYSTERCATCHER - -This handsome black -and-
the new Ponquogue Bridge, where white shorebird with a bright red clam -knife bill has
the new commercial fishing dock now
provides shelter for a colorful fleet of
boats.
I was just one hour late to see the
ocean break through the dune and
flood the low -lying road that paral-
lels the shore. There was little ac-
tivity at the dock. A few fishermen's
pickups huddled at one end of the
parking lot, but I could see no one.
The fury of the storm had everyone
below.
As I sto ed th b f
work that never seems to end. The
cheery part of the weekend was a call
from a lady in Orient reporting a pair
of oystercatchers on her Sound
beach. That was good news, for they
are part of the spring migration of
shorebirds.
Perfect Camouflage
pp "A a ore the gap- Oystercatchers are striking in
ing hole in the dune, I could see a their black- and -white dress, with
deep expanse of water on the road their brilliant red - clam -knife bills.
ahead. "No, I wouldn't try to go These birds, once rare on the East
through that one," I thought. And it End, are now becoming more and
was good I didn't, for later a brand more noticeable. They nest on the
new travel -all tried to make it and beach above high water line and I've
stalled right in the middle. How often seen them nesting on Gardin-
helpless man's machine looked as it ers and Plum islands, but never on
was pelted by the heavy rains. the mainland. Perhaps the ones at
Storm Breaks Through Dune Orient might be nesting candidates.
I backed up and faced the gaping The young oystercatchers, like all
span where the surf had broken shorebirds, are perfectly camouf-
b laged for their shore life. Alongside a
through the dune. My car literally piece of driftwood or rubble, they
sat at the edge of a snarling ocean. fade into what appears to be dried
Wind, rain, heavy spume and sand
pelted the car. I tried to get out to seaweed. It takes a trained eye to see
them.
take a picture, but the wind blew so
strongly I had to wait to brace myself With its flat bill, the oystercatcher
for another try. I barely made it, but has the ability to get into clams, oys-
once out the wind tore at me. I ters and mussels by slipping the bill
quickly went around the back of the into its victim and paralyzing it so it
car, where I was protected and tried can be opened. What it does is wait
to collect myself and prepare to take for the clam or oyster to relax and
a picture. How well it would come out open just a bit, then the bill slips in
I did not know, for the darkness of and goes to work.
the storm, the rain, the spume and To add to the oystercatcher report,
the windblown sand all made visibil- we also had a report that the snowy
ity almost impossible. Yet, I'd try it. egrets were back. These pure white
With my back to the storm, I wading birds of our creeks also nest
walked backwards to frame my pic- on Plum and Gardiners islands and,
ture of the car between the like the oystercatcher, no longer nest
washed -out banks of the dune. I on the mainland. One never tires of
waited too long. A huge wave rolled seeing this stalker of minnows as it
up the beach and drenched me. My moves in slow motion to get into posi-
knee boots filled with water. It was tion for that lightning -fast jab of
time to retreat. Once again behind head and bill. It is this sharp bill that
the car with the wind howling all stabs the minnow and flips him
about and the surf pounding, I lifted around in space so he goes down
one leg at a time to let the chilly
ocean water out of my boots. Then
back in the car and off.
I'm sure this week's storm was just You deserve the best!
as bad, but this time I stayed at home The Suffolk Times / New - Review
a*ifd"t'S"ied to catcVJTli`t41Sdi4i 'p'a fir" • • . <
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
the ability to open clams, oysters and mussels at
will. Two were. spotted in our area this week.
head -first for a meal.
Coupled with the osprey's return
and our lawns once again turning
green, these latest sightings give us
positive proof that spring is on the
way. Even the night sounds can be
heard as the spring peepers sing
their mating call. Soon the toads and
The
Quiet
Man
inn
frogs will join in and an array of
sounds will become almost deafening
as the females are called to the ponds
for breeding. Each year the ritual
has gone on -- some years early, some
years late. Each plant and animal
awaits its signal to start, and then
once again our world will bloom. ..
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